Rick Perry mulls decriminalizing pot

Texas Gov. Rick Perry says he is supporting policies toward decriminalization of marijuana in his state, although he is still against legalization of marijuana entirely.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Perry said he has already begun the process to move toward softer punishments for marijuana offenders in Texas, according to the Houston Chronicle.

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“As governor, I have begun to implement policies that start us toward a decriminalization,” Perry said as quoted by the Chronicle, including with “drug courts,” an alternative to the traditional court system that sentence some drug users to rehabilitation and supervision instead of jail time.

Perry’s spokeswoman told the paper that the Republican governor still opposes fully legalizing marijuana, but he is looking for ways to reduce jail time for some nonviolent pot users.

“Legalization is no penalty at all, whereas decriminalization doesn’t necessarily mean jail time (for minor possession offenses). It means more of a fine or counseling or some sort of program where you don’t end up in jail but in a rehabilitative program,” Lucy Nashed said. “The goal is to keep people out of jails and reduce recidivism, that kind of thing.”

The comments were Perry’s first on decriminalization, although he has been supportive of the drug courts, which were created by a 2001 Texas law.